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2017

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Telling Tails: The Promises And Pitfalls Of Language And Narratives In Animal Advocacy Efforts, Angela Lee Jan 2017

Telling Tails: The Promises And Pitfalls Of Language And Narratives In Animal Advocacy Efforts, Angela Lee

Animal Law Review

Using a feminist theoretical perspective and drawing on exam­ples from Canada and the United States, this Article considers the promises and pitfalls of language and narrative in the con­text of animal advocacy efforts. Because the animal advocacy movement faces an uphill battle on a number of fronts, leverag­ing language and narrative more conscientiously can help en­hance its success. Elucidating the equivocal nature of the premises on which our current social and legal conceptualiza­tion of nonhuman animals lies can prompt a shift in the domi­nant modes of thjnking about nonhuman animals, thereby stimulating meaningful change in their treatment. However, it is …


Criminalizing Fake Service Dogs: Helping Or Hurting Legitimate Handlers?, Tiffany Lee Jan 2017

Criminalizing Fake Service Dogs: Helping Or Hurting Legitimate Handlers?, Tiffany Lee

Animal Law Review

An increasing number of states are passing laws criminalizing the use of fraudulent service animals. This Article explores the potential impact of these laws on people with disabilities and the effectiveness of these laws for places of business who want to exclude fraudulent service animals. The Article considers the nature of fraudulent service animal use and the reasons people may use them, the difficulties in enforcing these state laws in light of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the potential detrimental effects on the civil rights of people with disabilities using legitimate service animals. Based on this analysis, the Article …


Bearing Witness: Is Giving Thirsty Pigs Water Criminal Mischief Or A Duty?, Anita Krajnc Jan 2017

Bearing Witness: Is Giving Thirsty Pigs Water Criminal Mischief Or A Duty?, Anita Krajnc

Animal Law Review

No abstract provided.


2016 State Legislative Review, Kaci Hohmann Jan 2017

2016 State Legislative Review, Kaci Hohmann

Animal Law Review

No abstract provided.


University Educators' Instructional Choices And Their Learning Styles Within A Lesson Framework, Lucille Mazo Jan 2017

University Educators' Instructional Choices And Their Learning Styles Within A Lesson Framework, Lucille Mazo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on learning styles often focuses on the learning style of the student; however, the learning style of the educator may affect instructional choices and student learning. Few studies have addressed the lack of knowledge that exists in universities with respect to educators' learning styles and a lesson framework (development, delivery, and debriefing). This sequential mixed methods study explored university educators' conscious, reflective instructional choices as they related to learning styles application within a lesson. Two theoretical frameworks and one conceptual framework drew on Kolb's experiential learning theory; Bloom's, Reigeluth's, and Gagné's instructional design theories and models; and Fiddler and …


The Development And Validation Of A Novice Nurse Decision-Making Skills Education Curriculum, Joanne Stephanie Simmons Jan 2017

The Development And Validation Of A Novice Nurse Decision-Making Skills Education Curriculum, Joanne Stephanie Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Novice nurses (NNs) are entering critical care environments with limited knowledge, skills, and decision-making expertise. They are expected to care for complex patients in a dynamic healthcare setting. The research question for this project examined whether NNs improve their knowledge and skills by participating in a nursing decision-making skills curriculum. The purpose of the project was to develop and validate a nursing decision-making skills education curriculum working in an intermediate critical care unit. Taba's instructional theoretical model was used to guide the new curriculum development along with current evidence based practice found in the current literature. Scaffolding approach theory encouraged …


Noise In The Icu, Fay Goode Jan 2017

Noise In The Icu, Fay Goode

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Noise in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has been associated with patients experiencing psychological and physical disorders such as anxiety, sleep deprivation, and worsening of hypertension and diabetes. Researchers have suggested that the use of a noise reduction protocol can result in a decrease in noise in the ICU and a subsequent improvement in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. The research question for this project examined the effectiveness of a newly developed noise protocol in minimizing noise in the ICU, since the patients at the facility of study reported noise as being a nuisance that …


Substance Abuse And Depression: Exploring Changes In Symptomology In Minority Subgroups, Ruth Michel Jan 2017

Substance Abuse And Depression: Exploring Changes In Symptomology In Minority Subgroups, Ruth Michel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While a comorbid relationship between substance abuse and depression in Caucasian adults has been widely documented, comorbid substance abuse and depression in minorities remains unexplored, leaving a gap in knowledge concerning the treatment of these comorbid disorders in the fastest growing population in the United States. Cognitive behavior theory posits that specific stressors increase the likelihood of substance abuse. These factors may include structural discrimination experienced by minorities. This quantitative, pretest-posttest archival study examined the effects of a substance abuse treatment program in reducing comorbid depressive symptoms among 317 participants from 3 minority subgroups and a comparison nonminority group enrolled …


Succession Planning In Family-Owned Businesses, Daisy Chesley Jan 2017

Succession Planning In Family-Owned Businesses, Daisy Chesley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many family-owned businesses lack strategies regarding succession planning. Succession planning is a company's way of embracing the future. The majority of U.S.-based family-owned businesses do not survive to the second generation, and only 3% of family-owned businesses make it past a third generation. This descriptive case study explored strategies that 4 leaders of a family-owned financial business in the Washington, DC area use to prepare future generations to assume leadership roles in their company. The theory of family systems and the theory of organizational and business development were the conceptual frameworks for this study. In-depth interviews with purposively selected members …


Role Of Midline Catheters In Patient Care, Tina K. Schlegel Jan 2017

Role Of Midline Catheters In Patient Care, Tina K. Schlegel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are responsible for 100,000 patient deaths per year, creating a critical need for prevention of these deadly infections that occur with central venous lines (CVLs). Alternative forms of IV access such as midline catheters (MLCs) may offer lower rates of infection than those seen with CVLs. MLCs were implemented at the practice setting in 2016; however, no evaluation of their effectiveness had been conducted. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of MLCs using a retrospective, pre- post- comparison of CLABSI rates and device utilization rates (DUR) obtained from the practice setting …


Roles And Services Of Probation Officers Among Rural Female Juvenile Offenders, Amy Marie Warmingham Jan 2017

Roles And Services Of Probation Officers Among Rural Female Juvenile Offenders, Amy Marie Warmingham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Each year, hundreds of thousands of youth move through juvenile justice systems in the United States, and the number of female offenders is increasing. At the probation level, there appears to be a lack of services, such as mentoring, mental health services, sex education, and counseling, to meet the gender-specific needs of female juvenile delinquents in rural settings. The purpose of this study was to discover county probation officers' perceptions of girls' needs and the officers' decision-making processes related to recommending services. This case study was based on feminist criminology theory. The research questions sought to learn how probation officers …


Midlevel Nonclinical Healthcare Leaders' Awareness Of Leadership Competence, Denise Estelle Wiseman Jan 2017

Midlevel Nonclinical Healthcare Leaders' Awareness Of Leadership Competence, Denise Estelle Wiseman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective leadership in healthcare improves the patient experience. Self-awareness drives leadership development, competence, and, in turn, leader effectiveness. The problem addressed by this study was the absence of knowledge regarding how healthcare leaders develop awareness of their leadership strengths and weaknesses: their competence. The purpose of this postintentional phenomenological study was to explore how healthcare leaders develop this awareness. Twelve midlevel nonclinical healthcare leaders from 3 hospitals in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States shared their experiences during semistructured interviews. Participants and their organizations contributed supporting documentation of competence and performance expectations. Following Vagle's postintentional process, data were …


Attracting, Recruiting, And Retaining Qualified Faculty At Community Colleges In Sierra Leone, Gloria Betts Jan 2017

Attracting, Recruiting, And Retaining Qualified Faculty At Community Colleges In Sierra Leone, Gloria Betts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This case study was designed to explore policies that were in place to attract, recruit, and retain qualified faculty for 4 community colleges in Sierra Leone. The research was necessitated by the apparent inability of Sierra Leone educators to train and retain faculty possessing the required academic credentials. The research questions were designed to address the policies and strategies used to attract and recruit faculty, better prepare faculty, improve the quality of classroom instruction, and retain qualified faculty at community colleges. The literature review yielded results about the benefits of community colleges in developing countries, thus reinforcing the need for …


Body Piercing And Health Complications Among College Students In Puerto Rico, Elsie Goicochea Jan 2017

Body Piercing And Health Complications Among College Students In Puerto Rico, Elsie Goicochea

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The incidence and prevalence of body piercing health complications among students is a public health matter that has not been researched in Puerto Rico. College students are the most consistent participants in body piercing activities and have reported health complications resulting in visits to medical offices and emergency rooms. Based on the health belief model, which is used to explain and predict health attitudes, the purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to analyze the health risks and possible complications occurring after body piercing and to investigate the association between sex and age and medical complications. Data were collected from …


Exploring Lay Conceptions Of Well-Being And Their Relationship To Experienced Well-Being In Chinese Undergraduate Students, Ada Jen Jan 2017

Exploring Lay Conceptions Of Well-Being And Their Relationship To Experienced Well-Being In Chinese Undergraduate Students, Ada Jen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, the Chinese 18th Party Congress identified individual well-being and well-being of the nation as 2 of the most important goals for China. Well-being, the maintenance of a happy and meaningful life, is one of the major psychological health benchmarks in an individual's life. Empirical research on lay conceptions and experiences of well-being has been almost exclusively conducted in Western cultures. Understanding Chinese lay people's conceptions of well-being and the relationship of those conceptions to experienced well-being is important for optimizing individual and social well-being, and for providing a basis for positive social change in China. The primary objective …


The Effects Of Female Genital Mutilation On Women Of Sierra Leone, Nenneh Kalokoh Kalokoh Jan 2017

The Effects Of Female Genital Mutilation On Women Of Sierra Leone, Nenneh Kalokoh Kalokoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C), a common practice among Sierra Leonean women, carries significant psychological and physical risks. Prior to this study, a substantial need existed for inquiry of the experiences and belief systems within this cultural group to better understand the effects of FGM/C on women and girls. Guided by feminist theory and the theory of cultural relativism, the goal of this phenomenological study was to review the cultural perspectives and experiences of Sierra Leonean women who underwent FGM/C to investigate their concerns about safety and their perceptions of the practices. In addition, this study explored concerns among …


The Impact Of Transitional Justice On Conflict Resolution And The Maintenance Of Peace, Joe Lambongang Jan 2017

The Impact Of Transitional Justice On Conflict Resolution And The Maintenance Of Peace, Joe Lambongang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ethnic conflicts persist in Ghana despite the efforts of governments to resolve them. Governments are increasingly concerned not only about their massive human rights abuses and wide-scale destruction of property that characterize these conflicts, but also the difficulty of resolving them and restoring permanent peace. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to provide a deeper understanding of the processes and mechanisms of transitional justice implemented in Dagbon after war broke out in 2002 and explore the conditions under which these initiatives can be more effective in resolving the conflict and maintain peace. Data were collected through individual …


Improving Nurse Mentor Retention Through The Use Of Nurse Residency Programs, Morgan Newman Jan 2017

Improving Nurse Mentor Retention Through The Use Of Nurse Residency Programs, Morgan Newman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Graduate nurses beginning their nursing career require a collaborative relationship with an expert nurse mentor to make this transition successful. However, high turnover among these experienced nurse mentors is causing a problematic gap in knowledge transfer, experience, and expertise in the nursing workforce. This project investigated whether nurse mentors who mentored in a Nurse Residency Program (NRP) remained with the organization longer and were more satisfied with their mentoring experience than nurse mentors who mentored outside of a NRP. The diffusion of innovations theory was used to support the project and process of dispersing information on the outcome of the …


Perceived Job Stress And Life Style Behaviors' Effects On The Quality Of Life Of Registered Nurses, Jennifer Rose Limongiello Jan 2017

Perceived Job Stress And Life Style Behaviors' Effects On The Quality Of Life Of Registered Nurses, Jennifer Rose Limongiello

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine to what extent work demands as measured by perceived job stress affected the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) as determined by the number of unhealthy days of registered nurses in the United States. This study was also an investigation of the extent to which other variables such as body-mass index (BMI) and certain lifestyle behaviors affected the HRQOL (number of unhealthy days). The independent variables were perceived job stress, weight (BMI), and lifestyle factors such as tobacco and alcohol use, physical inactivity, and the mindful eating score, and the dependent variable …


Sustainment Strategies Small Business Owners Use For More Than 5 Years, Son Thanh Nguyen Jan 2017

Sustainment Strategies Small Business Owners Use For More Than 5 Years, Son Thanh Nguyen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. Small Business Administration reports that small businesses are one of the pillars of the U.S. economy, providing employment, innovation, and productivity. However, these businesses are constantly faced with challenges resulting from limited resources and continuous technological advances. This qualitative multiple-case study was performed to explore the strategies that small business owners (SBOs) in Maryland use to acquire capital to sustain their businesses financially for more than 5 years. The study's framework, the strategic management theory, was applied to determine the most effective approaches for the small businesses. Face-to-face interviews with 6 recruited SBOs were performed. A qualitative thematic analysis …


Driving Strategies In Performance Excellence, Nathan Lawrence Jan 2017

Driving Strategies In Performance Excellence, Nathan Lawrence

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only a small number of U.S. businesses have implemented the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence to improve their performance. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that executive business leaders use to implement the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. The study population consisted of 6 business executives and 2 organizations in the U.S. state of Texas, all with experience in implementing the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. The theory of high performance work systems provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were gathered from interviews and record reviews that were conducted within the organizations. Inductive …


Correlates Of Project Success In The Nigerian Real Estate Construction Sector, Augustine Ofodile Onyali Jan 2017

Correlates Of Project Success In The Nigerian Real Estate Construction Sector, Augustine Ofodile Onyali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Project managers in the Nigerian real estate construction sector are facing challenges in delivering real estate projects profitably. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine how comprehension, motivation, skills, resources, and communication can predict project success in the real estate construction sector in Nigeria. Understanding these elements was necessary for developing project management strategies aimed at optimizing profitability. The population of the study was project management practitioners in the Nigerian real estate construction sector who are facing challenges in delivering real estate construction projects profitably. The duck alignment theory served as the theoretical framework for the study. Data …


Servant Leadership: What Makes It An Effective Leadership Model., Janice Poland Tanno Jan 2017

Servant Leadership: What Makes It An Effective Leadership Model., Janice Poland Tanno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Servant leadership (SL), a universal, ethical leadership style, consistently produces high performance and employee engagement. For the last two decades, lack of business ethics in decision making by senior leaders has resulted in many negative outcomes, such as the WorldCom scandal. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to identify and report the lived experiences of senior leaders in relation to decision making in SL organizations in the southwestern United States. The study's theoretical/conceptual foundations encompassed Maslow's motivation theories, decision theory, spirituality, spiritual intelligence, Cicero's virtue theory of ethics, and Greenleaf's SL. Data collection involved the use of semistructured …


Acculturation, Identity Formation, And Mental Health-Related Issues Among Young Adult Ethiopian Immigrants, Sam A. Wolde Jan 2017

Acculturation, Identity Formation, And Mental Health-Related Issues Among Young Adult Ethiopian Immigrants, Sam A. Wolde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immigration is a contributing factor to population growth in the United States. Ethiopian immigrants who are residing in the United States constitute the second-largest African immigrant group next to Nigeria. The effect of immigrants' identity formation and acculturation process on their social and emotional wellness has drawn behavioral and social scientists' attention. Still, limited research has been devoted to exploring Ethiopian immigrants' acculturation and identity formation processes and how these processes shape 1.5- and second-generation immigrants' perceptions of mental health-related issues. This phenomenological study explored identity formation, acculturation processes, and mental health beliefs in 1.5- and second-generation Ethiopian immigrants. Face-to-face …


Reducing Delirium In The Hospitalized Elderly With A Nursing Prevention Protocol, Mari L. Fraire Jan 2017

Reducing Delirium In The Hospitalized Elderly With A Nursing Prevention Protocol, Mari L. Fraire

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The aim of this project was to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the Clear Minds protocol for early detection and prevention of delirium in hospitalized, elderly patients. The protocol was used to monitor for delirium and improve sleep quality by reducing sleep disturbances caused by environmental factors in hospital settings. Due to the risk of delirium for patients in late adulthood, implementation of a delirium-prevention protocol was needed. Upon admission, patients 60 years and older or patients that screened positive for the Brief Confusion Assessment Method (bCAM) were placed on the Clear Minds protocol. The protocol consisted of establishing …


Parental Perception Of Mobile Device Usage In Children And Social Competency, Christin Topper Jan 2017

Parental Perception Of Mobile Device Usage In Children And Social Competency, Christin Topper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents in the 21st century are concerned with the ubiquity of mobile devices and their effects on the progression of social development. A review of the literature indicated that although digital interaction has become more prominent, limited empirical data existed on whether children who spend more time interacting in the digital realm would develop the necessary competency to handle social situations in real-life settings. Using social constructivist theory and the Schramm model of communication as the theoretical foundations, the present study examined the relationship between mobile device usage and the level of social competency in young children as perceived by …


Are Legal Disputes Just About The Money? Answers From Mediators On The Front Line, Harold I. Abramson, Bennett Picker, Bill Marsh, Birgit Sambeth Glasner, Jerry Weiss Jan 2017

Are Legal Disputes Just About The Money? Answers From Mediators On The Front Line, Harold I. Abramson, Bennett Picker, Bill Marsh, Birgit Sambeth Glasner, Jerry Weiss

Scholarly Works

Are most disputes in mediation just about money? That’s an old and familiar question that many lawyers still seem to reply to with an emphatic “yes.” Mediated cases are frequently viewed as a clash of binary claims, subject only to a sorting out of financial winners and losers. This popular vision was challenged by an ABA panel of experienced commercial mediators. Together they explored the opportunities for breaking out of this confining legalmold. Years of practice have taught them that many disputes are not just about money, even when money is the presenting issue.


Virtual Learning Environments' Impact On Adult Learners' Motivation In The Workplace, Clarence Eugene Bashshar Jan 2017

Virtual Learning Environments' Impact On Adult Learners' Motivation In The Workplace, Clarence Eugene Bashshar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Virtual learning environments have become prevalent in the workplace to improve talent development. However, because there are so many different types of design options, not all learners are finding success in the virtual learning environment. This mismatch can negatively impact employees' motivation and learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore how design features of a virtual learning environment impacted adult learners' motivation in the workplace. Constructivist and self-determination theories were used as theoretical frameworks. The research question in this study explored how social and external contextual factors influence an adult learner's motivation to learn in a virtual …


Understanding Financial Value Of Cloud-Based Business Applications: A Phenomenological Study, Victor Arthur Arthur Jan 2017

Understanding Financial Value Of Cloud-Based Business Applications: A Phenomenological Study, Victor Arthur Arthur

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An understanding of opportunities and challenges in cloud computing is needed to better manage technology costs and create financial value. The purposes of this transcendental phenomenological study were to understand the lived experiences of minority business owners who operated business applications in the cloud and to explore how these experiences created financial value for businesses despite security challenges. Historically, minority business owners have experienced high rates of business failures and could benefit from information to help them manage business costs in order to position their businesses to grow and succeed. Modigliani-Miller's theorem on capital structure and Brealey and Young's concept …


Association Between Physician Characteristics And Surgical Errors In U.S. Hospitals, Obumneke A. Amadi Jan 2017

Association Between Physician Characteristics And Surgical Errors In U.S. Hospitals, Obumneke A. Amadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high incidence of medical and surgical errors in U.S. hospitals and clinics affects patients' safety. Not enough is known about the relationship between physician characteristics and medical error rates. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between selected physician characteristics and surgical errors in U.S. hospitals. The ecological model was used to understand personal and systemic factors that might be related to the incidence of surgical errors. Archived data from the National Practitioner Data Bank database of physician surgical errors were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Independent variables included physicians' home …